With wildfire season approaching, the Kelowna Fire Department is urging local residents to take preventative steps now to keep their homes safe.
Captain Jason Twamley, one of Kelowna’s fire mitigation specialists, said it used to be hard to get people to focus on protecting their homes from wildfires.
“It was really hard to get people's attention and get them on board with the program," said Twamley. “Then along comes a disaster close to home and it really opened people's eyes.”
Kelowna Fire Inspector Sylas Rossi stressed the importance of proactive measures.
“You can ... get someone to come out to your house and do an assessment to identify dangers [like] stacking wood under your deck, having gutters filled with needles, or cedar hedges," said Rossi.
Twamley emphasized that prevention doesn’t mean stripping the city of greenery but making smarter choices.
“We can use other plants to get the same privacy without the danger,” he said, noting that cedar hedges remain a major hazard. “The first 1.5 meters around your home is one of the most important zones. Eliminate combustibles there, and you’re 80 per cent ahead of most people.”
Dave Brown lives in Magic Estates, a neighbourhood in the Glenmore area of Kelowna. He's seen firsthand how recent fires have spurred people into action.
“During the fires, a lot of people here had cedar roofs treated with petroleum products. It’s like they are inviting fires,” said Brown. “Since the last fire, almost everyone with a cedar roof here in Magic Estates had their roof redone.”
Kelowna fire department has appointed Dennis Craig as the chief of prevention and mitigation. Craig brings experience to the role, most notably from his tenure as fire chief in Peachland, where he spearheaded a fire-safe program.
One of the program’s initiatives was a ban on the sale of cedar hedges, a highly flammable landscaping choice that has been linked to the rapid spread of fires.
Twamley doesn't see this happening in Kelowna any time soon.
“Instead of putting in a bylaw and making it a rule and punishing people, we're really trying to go the educational route and inform them of the dangers,” said Twamley. "Hopefully they'll come to the realization that maybe there's something else they could plant instead.”
Despite progress, challenges persist, particularly with new developments. “The biggest problem we have with developers is their landscaping,” Twamley said. “They’ll put up fire-smart homes. ... with cedars right in front.”
One of the upcoming initiatives in Kelowna is the chipping program, which begins accepting registrations on April 9, with pickups starting May 5. The program helps homeowners safely dispose of hazardous vegetation that could fuel wildfires, particularly coniferous plants like cedar hedges that have been linked to rapid fire spread in past incidents.
Even though there is still work to be done, Twamley is heartened by the interest that the community has been taking in fire safety.
“It's just great to see the buy-in [with] more and more ... neighbourhoods wanting to take control of their surroundings," he said. "I'm really encouraged by it and looking forward to carrying on the work.”
Although these precautions can be costly and time-consuming, success stories prove mitigation works. When flames neared the Wilden neighborhood in 2023, preemptive efforts saved homes.
“The owners spent a ton of time and money mitigating that property, and it really showed. ... We didn’t lose a structure,” Twamley said.
Residents are encouraged to act now by registering for the chipping program, requesting FireSmart assessments, and clearing flammable materials from their properties.
How to prepare
Fire safety tips around the home
Following these fire safe tips can help stop the spread of wildfire and prevent fire damage to your home.
• Maintain a 10-metre buffer zone around your home by removing dry leaves, dead vegetation, and flammable debris.
• Trim trees, shrubs and clean underneath your deck, preventing anything flammable from being directly next to your home.
• Incorporate xeriscaping techniques into your yard to reduce the need for irrigation and limit flammable materials. Xeriscaping is a landscaping practice that aims to minimize the need for water by planting drought tolerant plant species.
• Understand how flammable your roof is and if it needs to be replaced. Your roof is the most vulnerable part of your home. Dead pine needles can act as fuel for fires. Be sure to regularly clean your roof and gutters to prevent build up.
• Install a spark arrestor on the chimney to prevent sparks from igniting debris on the roof
• When building or renovating, choose fire-resistant roofing, siding, and landscaping materials to protect your property. Install fire-resistant windows and ensure doors are fire-rated and have a proper seal.
• If you spot a fire, call emergency services right away. Early detection can prevent small fires from becoming catastrophic.
This story was written by a student in Kwantlen Polytechnic University's Journalism program as part of a partnership between KPU and ronaldomanosa.
